Happy Sunday and we hope you had a great week. It was a busy week of Royal Caribbean fun, and we have a round-up of all of it in this hand-dandy blog post.

The day Royal Caribbean will take ownership of Symphony of the Seas is now set, with a delivery date scheduled for next month.

STX France announced it will handover Symphony of the Seas to Royal Caribbean on March 23, 2018.

Symphony of the Seas will become the 25th ship in the fleet, and her first pre-inaugural sailing will commence on March 31, 2018.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean announced Michael's Genuine Pub will be removed from all ships.
• First batch of photos from the refurbished Adventure of the Seas.
• Meyer Werft has listed the gross tonnage for Royal Caribbean's Icon Class ships.
• Take a look at the latest CocoCay construction photos.
• Speedcast will increase internet bandwidth on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
• We shared a copy of the new menu from Izumi on Adventure of the Seas.
• Here is a look at one design for Oasis of the Seas that was not approved.
• A look at how high-tech is helping enhance the performances on Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 237th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available that reviews a recent New Years Eve cruise.

In this episode, Matt Hince talks about his New Years Eve cruise on Liberty of the Seas and shares what it is like to cruise over New Years.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

The Maritime Executive reports Royal Caribbean's CEO will be honored as a recipient of Seafarers' House International Golden Compass Award for 2018.

Travel Weekly says Royal Caribbean will increase the Ultimate Family Suite capacity on the fifth Oasis Class ship.

USA Today shared a lot of photos from their hard hat tour of Symphony of the Seas.

Happy weekend! We hope you are having a wonderful weekend, now it’s time to kick back, relax, and catch up on another week of Royal Caribbean news!

Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley leaked the news that a Quantum Class ship will call Southampton home in 2020.

In an interview, Bayley talked about the change, mentioning the cruise line had not yet made a decision which ship will be moved there for the summer, but it would likely be Anthem or Quantum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Symphony of the Seas will have her sea trials next week.
• Royal Caribbean held a special Symphony of the Seas preview event in London.
• Our list of five things to love about Central Park on Oasis Class cruise ships.
• Check out our full review of Izumi on Brilliance of the Seas.
• According to a recent survey, Royal Caribbean is the most Instagrammable cruise line.
• Here is what we spent in total on our last Royal Caribbean cruise.
• We shared a photo tour of a Category 5D balcony stateroom on Brilliance of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean released a new video of Adventurist Shay Mitchell in St. Maarten.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 236th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt and John Bamber talk about learning to scuba dive on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Did you know that you can not only go scuba diving on Royal Caribbean, but learn and become certified in scuba?  This week's episode is all about how you can try your hand at scuba during your vacation.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

The Orlando Sentinel covered the changes coming to Mariner of the Seas.

Eat Sleep Cruise shared the cheapest times of year to go on a cruise.

Travel Weekly looked back at the last decade for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Cruise Hive shared 50 Royal Caribbean tips and tricks.

Happy weekend! We hope you are in the midst of a wonderful weekend full of friends, fun, and plenty of things to do to pass the time between cruises.  We have a summary of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!

Royal Caribbean made headlines this week with details of the $90 million refurbishment coming to Mariner of the Seas.

After months of speculation, Royal Caribbean releaved which new features and amenities will be added to Mariner of the Seas when she undergoes a refurbishment later this year.

Guests can look forward to a bungee virtual reality trampoline experience, FlowRider, new specialty restaurants, a Polyensian-themed bar, laser tag, and much more.

Mariner of the Seas will call Miami, Florida home in 2018, and will be the first Voyager Class ship to offer short Caribbean sailings. Mariner of the Seas will offer 3- and 4-night itineraries from PortMiami, beginning on June 21, 2018.

Royal Caribbean News

• Independence of the Seas will also get a virtual reality trampoline experience.
• Royal Caribbean's new Terminal A in PortMiami has reached its highest point of construction.
• Royal Caribbean released a new Symphony of the Seas construction photo update.
• Royal Caribbean provided a construction video update on Spectrum of the Seas.
• Take a sneak peek at the design for Symphony of the Seas' one-of-a-kind suite.
• We shared our top 7 must-do activities on Brilliance of the Seas.
• Take a photo tour of the Royal Suite on Enchantment of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 235th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt reviews his recent cruise on Brilliance of the Seas.

Matt is back from his Brilliance of the Seas 4-night cruise, and shares what he enjoyed about his cruise, as well as reviews of experiences and dining while onboard.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

The Maritime Executive is reporting Royal Caribbean is pledging to cut back on plastics.

Bloomberg wrote about the secrets of cruise ships after sailing on Harmony of the Seas.

CNBC spoke with Royal Caribbean Cruises Chairman and CEO Richard Fain about its recent better-than-expected earnings report.

Did you know totday is National Polka Dot Day? You might be wondering what relevance that has to Royal Caribbean and the answer is... nothing!  We wanted to share with you a wrap-up of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!

We got our first look at the menu for the new specialty restaurant on Symphony of the Seas, Hooked Seafood.

Many guests who have sailings coming up this year on Symphony of the Seas have the opportunity to now pre-book reservations via the Cruise Planner and check out the new menu options.

Hooked Seafood will be located in the Solarium of Symphony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is possibly considering offering Infinite Veranda staterooms.
• Royal Caribbean created a new interactive quiz to determine your adventure personality.
• Our guide to the new ships and refurbishments in 2018.
• Here is your guide on what there is to do in Cozumel.
• Symphony of the Seas had her first sea trials scheduled for this week.
• 2018 Royal Caribbean Beverage Package information.
• Royal Caribbean scheduled its Fourth Quarter 2017 earnings call with investors.
• Royal Caribbean released a new video starring Shay Mitchell.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 233rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt and Pippa talk about the casino experience on Royal Caribbean.

In this episode, Pippa gives an overview of Casino Royale and describes what you can expect to find, as well as some good tips for enjoying the casino.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Forbes asked some CEOs (like Royal Caribbean's Michael Bayley) what to look for when evaluating job candidates.

Eat Sleep Cruise recommends some hotels near Port Canaveral.

Travel Pulse reviewed Royal Caribbean's Voom internet offering.

Welcome to this week's round-up of all the Royal Caribbean news and happenings.  Hope you are staying warm and are ready to cozy up to some great Royal Caribbean fun.

Grandeur of the Seas had to go in for immediate repairs to fix an issue with her rudder earlier this week.

During a sailing, Royal Caribbean notified guests that Grandeur of the Seas was experiencing a technical issue which limits the operation of one of the two rudders used to steer the ship. As a result, the ship would be delayed in returning to Baltimore by two days.

The repairs took place on January 11, with the ship returning to Baltimore on January 13.  This caused the current sailing to be extended by two days and the next sailing to be shortened by two days.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean announced it will hold a Symphony of the Seas event in London.
• Our top ways to save money on your 2018 Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Are you cruising with children? Here is our guide to going on Royal Caribbean with kids.
• Top 10 tips for taking a Royal Caribbean cruise by yourself.
• Answers to commonly asked questions about Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol package.
• Here are the easy steps to follow to book a Royal Caribbean dining package.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 232nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we talk about what to do if the price of your Royal Caribbean cruise drops.

Getting the best possible price for your cruise vacation is a goal every savvy traveler seeks, and on this week's episode, Annette and Matt talk about how to find price drops and what to do if the price does indeed change.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Orlando Sentinel listed five new cruise ships slated for Florida debuts in 2018.

Eat Sleep Cruise listed 10 signs you are addicted to Royal Caribbean.

Cruise Habit explained cruise line transfers that get you to and from your cruise.

Happy New Year! The first week of 2017 had plenty of Royal Caribbean news, and we have it all summarized for you in this week's round-up!

Earlier this week, it became apparent that there will be no DreamWorks characters on Symphony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean confirmed via Twitter that Symphony of the Seas will not have DreamWorks characters or shows onboard its newest ship.  This is a change from the other three Oasis class ships, which all featured DreamWorks characters.

There is no indication as of yet why Symphony of the Seas will not offer the DreamWorks characters.

Royal Caribbean News

• The January Wave Season offer features 30% off all guests and onboard credit.
• What first time cruisers need to know before booking a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Our list of 10 awesome things to do on Anthem of the Seas.
• Here is a cruise hack for maximizing the Crown and Anchor Society discount on Voom internet packages.
• Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. hired a new Chief Human Resources Officer.
• Everything you need to know about formal night on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 231st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we offer packing tips for going on an Alaska cruise.

On this episode, Sheri joins Matt to discuss packing strategies for going on an Alaska cruise, and what sort of things you ought to pack that might not be considered for a Caribbean cruise.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

The Chicago Tribune looks at how technology is changing cruising.

Royal Caribbean UK interviewed Rhapsody of the Seas' environmental officer.

The SunSentinel says don't be quick to blame cruise lines for excursion accidents.

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

There was a lot of Royal Caribbean news this week, but a majority of the headlines surrounded a shore excursion accident in Mexico for some guests from Serenade of the Seas.

At least 12 tourists died in the crash. Royal Caribbean has confirmed 27 cruise ship passengers were on the bus that suffered the accident, which were sailing on Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Equinox.

The crash occurred as the bus was on its way to the ruins at Chacchoben, about 110 miles south of Tulum.

Royal Caribbean News

• We're hearing Royal Caribbean will raise its automatic gratuity rate.
• Independence of the Seas had a gastrointestinal virus that affected 332 passengers.
• Royal Caribbean shared new Symphony of the Seas construction photos.
• Check out these 7 surprising facts about Harmony of the Seas.
• The over the water cabanas at Labadee's Barefoot Beach are back.
• We answer the question of what time to get to your cruise port on embarkation day.
• Royal Caribbean won five awards at the 2017 Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards.
• Shay Mitchell has a new Adventurist video to share this week.
• Royal Caribbean is planning to update its casino rewards program.
• Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. named a new Chief Information Officer.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 229th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we are sharing three wishes for Royal Caribbean.

On this episode, Matt and Billy make wishes for changes we would make if we had access to a genie (and opted not to wish for wealth and a long life).

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

How you can support Royal Caribbean Blog

So many of our readers have reached out to us to ask how they can help the blog and we are introducing the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders for just that reason.

The Insiders group is a way readers can contribute to Royal Caribbean Blog and help fuel some of the really amazing ideas, projects and new content that we have lined up.

As a way of saying thank you for your contribution, there are some fun rewards for being a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders.

Becoming a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders is completely up to you and you can cancel at any time. No questions asked! 

As always, thank you for visiting Royal Caribbean Blog and being a part of our community!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Daily Post is reporting Holyhead, England is considering building a new cruise berth to accomodate large cruise ships.

Skift is reporting on how cruise lines will keep trying to get your attention in 2018.

Eat Sleep Cruise shared 20 top family cruise tips.

Cruise Critic reported on Royal Caribbean's return to St. Maarten.

Shooting the Sea Breeze shared the different sanitation levels Royal Caribbean employs.

Good news, we are all one week closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!  In case you missed any of the Royal Caribbean fun from this week, here is our weekly round up!

Royal Carbbean released 2019 itineraries for Alaska and some European sailings.

Across eight ships, guests can now book a variety of sailings to these destinations.

Royal Caribbean News

• Deck-by-deck look at the changes coming to Independence of the Seas.
• Guests can now book post-cruise excursions to Elizabeth, New Jersey.
• Royal Caribbean released a new video on why you ought to cruise to Alaska.
• Our readers shared some great Royal Caribbean tips for a better cruise.
• Here's an overview of entertainment on Royal Caribbean cruises.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 228th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt talks about the Solarium on Royal Caribbean ships.

In this episode, Matt provides an overview of the adults-only pool area, discusses the appeal of these areas, and shares some differences between each of them.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Skift interviewed Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain about building smarter ships.

Yahoo shared a look at Royal Caribbean's big bet on tech.

Cruise Critic highlighted 8 of the coolest cruise ship atriums, and one Royal Caribbean ship made the list.

Cruise Habit wrote about the realities of Norovirus and cruise ships.

Happy December! We cannot believe that we are already one full week into the month – there is so much going on with holiday preparation and shopping and baking!

The United States Virgin Islands and Royal Caribbean teamed up to help re-build Magens Bay beach, which re-opened this week.

Royal Caribbean International partnered with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the Magens Bay Authority and other government agencies and businesses to restore the world-renowned beach.

Cleanup crews have been working daily since the hurricanes to remove fallen trees and debris, repair buildings, and replant hundreds of native plants and trees.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean kicked off its monthly sales promotion this week with 30% off all guests and kids sail free on select dates.
• Royal Caribbean is testing a new "intelligent elevator" on Harmony of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean released 2019-2020 Bemuda, Canada, & New England itineraries.
• The Human Rights Campaign named Royal Caribbean a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.
• Royal Caribbean added new stateroom categories for 2019 Alaska sailings on Radiance of the Seas.
• Check out our 2018 Royal Caribbean Cruise Planning Guide.
• Royal Caribbean introduced $100 per person deposits on non-refundable NextCruise bookings.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 227th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, which talks debates interior versus balcony staterooms.

It is a debate every cruiser has, and it boils down to considering the merits of price, space, itinerary and more. This week, we share the considerations you ought to look at before booking the right room for you.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Come cruise with us on Royal Caribbean!

We recently announced some new Royal Caribbean sailings that we have booked and are inviting you to join us for a RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com group cruise! This is an opportunity to join Matt, and other Royal Caribbean fans on some exciting cruises!

Choose from any of these great options!

• March 2019: Back-to-Back Double Dip on Mariner of the Seas
• July 2019: Anthem of the Seas to Bermuda and the Caribbean
• New Years Eve 2019: Freedom of the Seas to the ABC Islands from San Juan

For more details on booking the cruise, the itinerary and prices, check out our Events page and if you have any questions, email me!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Forbes wrote about Royal Caribbean using technology to improve the guest experience.

Beyond Ships interviewed Cruise Director Abe Hughes.

SecureIDNews looked at facial recognition on cruise ships.

Another week has gone by and that means we are all one week closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!

Royal Caribbean announced earlier this week it will expand sailings to Cuba, as well as add two new ports to visit.

Majesty of the Seas will begin offering sailings to Cuba in 2018, becoming the second Royal Caribbean ship to sail to Cuba after Empress of the Seas. The new Cuba ports will of Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos on the southeast coast, will be visited by Royal Caribbean and add a new dimension to an array of 4- to 8-night Caribbean adventures on Empress of the Seas.

All sailings to Cuba will offer shore excursions designed for guests to experience the destination and to comply with the people-to-people educational exchange activities requirement as set forth in the U.S. regulations.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean published new Symphony of the Seas construction photos.
• Ovation of the Seas is set to return to her homeport of Sydney, Australia.
• Royal Caribbean released a new video about the best way to visit Cuba (hint: it's on a cruise ship).
• We reviewed Nachi Cocom in Cozumel, Mexico.
• Check out a photo tour of a balcony stateroom on Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 226th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt shares his review of Independence of the Seas.

In this episode, Matt returns from a 4-night Western Caribbean sailing on Independence of the Seas, and shares his thoughts on the ship and what he did onboard and onshore.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

The Miami Herald interviewed various CEOs about what consumers really want.

The Real Deal reported Royal Caribbean's CEO sold his waterfront Miami home.

Asia Food Journal wrote about how Royal Caribbean does food preparation while at sea.

The Street shares how Royal Caribbean uses cruise bookings to predict the economy.